Wings of Flight
Foundation Aviation Preservation Education
P-51D Mustang
|
Specifications |
|
| Wing Span | 37 feet |
| Length | 32 feet 3 inches |
| Height | 13 feet 8 inches |
| Gross Weight | 12,100 pounds |
| Engine Mfg | Packard built Roll-Royce Merlin V-1650 engine, with 1,695 hp |
|
Performance |
|
| Top Speed | 505 mph |
| Cruise Speed | 275 mph |
| Service Ceiling | 41,900 feet |
| Range | 1,000 miles |
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range single-seat fighter aircraft that entered
service with Allied air forces in the middle years of World War II. The P-51 became one of the conflict's most
successful and recognizable aircraft.
The P-51 flew most of its wartime missions as a bomber escort in raids over Germany, helping ensure Allied air
superiority from early 1944. It also saw limited service against the Japanese in the Pacific War. The Mustang began
the Korean War as the United Nations' main fighter, but was relegated to a ground attack role when superseded by jet
fighters early in the conflict. Nevertheless, it remained in service with some air forces until the early-1980s.
As well as being economical to produce, the Mustang was a fast, well-made and highly durable aircraft. The
definitive version of the single-seat fighter was powered by the Packard V-1650-3, a two-stage two-speed
supercharged 12-cylinder Packard-built version of the legendary Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, and armed with six of the
aircraft version of the .50 caliber Browning machine guns.
After World War II and the Korean conflict, many Mustangs were converted for civilian use, especially air racing.
The Mustang's reputation was such that, in the mid-1960s, Ford Motor Company's Designer John Najjar proposed the
name for a new youth-oriented coupe after the fighter.